Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Plug-in connector
Description
The invention is based on a plug-in connector according
to the preamble of the independent claim 1.
Such plug-in connectors are required to connect
electrical lines or cables to each other. Plug-in
connectors in this case usually consist of two
connector parts that are designed for mutual contacting
and latching.
The connector parts in this case usually have an
insulating carrier body, which either also serves as a
housing or which is additionally accommodated in a
housing. The two connector parts are realized so as to
correspond, such that they can be inserted in one
another.
Accommodated in the insulating bodies are electrical
contact elements that are likewise realized so as to
correspond, in order to contact with each other.
Connected to the electrical contact elements, on the
back side, are the electrical lines or the cable that
are to be electronically contacted with each other.
There is a great variety of plug-in connectors known
from the prior art. These plug-
in connectors are
differentiated, substantially, by their size and the
number of contact elements.
A disadvantage in the case of the plug-in connectors
known from the prior art is that, precisely in the case
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of plug-in connectors having large contact elements
designed for high currents, there is no longer any
protection against touching the contact elements. The
larger the contact elements, the larger also are the
gaps between the contact elements, and between the
contact elements and the housing.
Statement of object
The invention is based on the object of realizing a
plug-in connector such that, for special applications,
it can be equipped with an anti-touch protection. This
means that the contact elements of the plug-in
connector are protected against unwanted touching such
as, for example, by fingers of a person, or against
touching by foreign bodies such as, for example, a
tool.
The object is achieved by the characterizing features
of the independent claim 1.
Advantageous developments of the invention are
specified in the dependent claims.
In the case of the invention a plug-in connector
consists of a first connector part and a second
connector part. The connector parts in this case are
realized so as to correspond. This means
that the
first connector part is realized such that it can
accommodate, in a first plug-in side, a second plug-in
side of the second connector part.
For this purpose, the first connector part has a first
formed-on portion that realizes a first collar. The
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first collar constitutes the first plug-in side of the
first connector part. The full-perimeter, first collar
is provided on the first connector part such that it
bounds a first free space. This means that the first
free space is provided inside the first collar. The
first free space in this case serves to accommodate the
second plug-in side of the second connector part.
Provided on the second connector part is at least one
second foLmed-on portion, which constitutes the second
plug-in side of the second connector part. The contour
of the at least one second formed-on portion in this
case is shaped such that it can be accommodated in the
first collar of the first connector part. The first
formed-on portion and the at least one second formed-on
portion in this case match, in their inner and outer
contours, respectively, such that the at least one
second foLmed-on portion can be plugged in a positive-
locking manner into the first formed-on portion that
constitutes the first collar.
According to the invention, the at least one second
formed-on portion, that constitutes the second plug-in
side of the second connector part, is shaped as a
second collar. The second collar in this case bounds a
second free space, on the second plug-in side. In the
case of a plurality of second formed-on portions, a
plurality of second free spaces may also be
constituted, depending on the design of these formed-on
portions.
Provided according to the present invention is an
insert that can be inserted in the first free space of
the first connector part. The insert in this case is
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preferably accommodated entirely in the first plug-in
side, inside the first collar.
A preferred embodiment provides for accommodating the
insert in a latchable manner in the first free space.
In this case, corresponding latching means, which
enable the insert to be latched in the free space, may
be provided on the insert and in the first free space.
Depending on the design of the latching means, it can
be made possible for the insert to be repeatedly
latched and released in the first free space.
The insert is constituted by a carrier element that is
provided with the latching means to enable the insert
to be latched in the first free space. According to
the invention, at least one third formed-on portion is
provided on the carrier element. In this case, the at
least one third formed-on portion is attached to the
insert such that it is aligned in the plug-in
direction. This means that, when the insert has been
inserted, and possibly latched, in the first plug-in
side, the at least one third formed-on portion faces in
the plug-in direction.
In a particular embodiment, the contour of the at last
one third formed-on portion is shaped such that it can
be accommodated in the at least one second collar of
the second connector part. The at
least one second
formed-on portion and the at least one third foLmed-on
portion in this case match in their inner and outer
contours, respectively, such that the at least one
third formed-on portion can be plugged in a positive-
locking manner into the at least one second formed-on
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portion that constitutes the at least one second
collar.
According to the invention, the two connector parts
have a first and a second contact element, which are
accommodated in the connector parts. The
contact
elements in this case are held mechanically in the
connector parts. A plug-in
side of the contact
elements projects, respectively, into the first and
second plug-in side of the first and second connector
parts.
The plug-in sides of the contact elements are likewise
realized so as to correspond, such that they can be
simultaneously contacted with the connector parts. In
this case, the plug-in side of the first contact
element is realized as a pin contact, and the plug-in
side of the second contact element is realized as a
socket contact. In a
particularly preferred
embodiment, the contact tip of the first contact
element is made of an insulating material. The
insulating contact tip serves to protect against
unwanted electrical contact with the contact element by
objects.
Expediently, the insert= has an opening, which enables
the first contact element to be led through the insert.
The insert, with its at least one third formed-on
portion, fulfils the purpose that the first free space
of the first connector part is filled, and unwanted
electrical contacting by object or body parts such as,
e.g. fingers, is prevented.
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The design, according to the invention, of the first,
second and third formed-on portions prevents foreign
bodies from entering the first free space, and thus
avoids incorrect electrical contact. Nevertheless,
contacting of the first connector part with the second
connector part is possible, owing to the nesting of the
formed-on portions.
Exemplary embodiment
An exemplary embodiment of the invention is represented
in the drawings and explained in greater detail in the
following. There are shown in:
Fig. 1 a plug-in connector according to the invention,
Fig. 2 a first connector part, having an insert and a
first contact element,
Fig. 3 a separated first connector part,
Fig. 4 a separated insert,
Fig. 5 a separated second connector part,
Fig. 6 a cross section of a plug-in connector
according to the invention,
Fig. 7
The figures contain partly simplified, schematic
representations. In part, elements that are the same,
but possibly not identical, are denoted by identical
references. Differing views of elements that are the
same may differ in scale.
Figure 1 shows a plug-in connector in a perspective
representation. The plug-in
connector consists of a
first connector part 10 and a second connector part 20.
In this exemplary embodiment, the connector parts 10,
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20 plug-in connector modules, designed for use in a
modular plug-in connector.
The first connector part 10 has, at its end that is
located in the plug-in direction, a first plug-in side
10.1. The first
plug-in side 10.1 is realized such
that a second plug-in side 20.1 of the second connector
part 20 is accommodated therein.
The first connector part 10 is shown in Figure 2. A
first contact element 11 is accommodated centrally in
the first connector part 10. The first contact element
11 projects, by a plug-in end, into the first plug-in
side 10.1 of the connector part 10.
The first plug-in side 10.1 of the connector part 10 is
constituted by a first formed-on portion 10.2. The
first formed-on portion 10.2 in this case constitutes a
=full-perimeter, first collar 10.3. At the same time,
in this case the first formed-on portion 10.2
constitutes the housing of the connector part 10.
The first contact element 11 is visible inside the
first collar 10.3. An insert
30 is provided in the
intermediate region between the first collar 10.3 and
the first contact element 11. The insert 30 prevents
foreign bodies such as small parts, or also a finger of
a person, from being able to enter the gap and cause an
electrical short circuit.
The first connector part 10 From Figures 1 and 2 is
shown again, in separated form, in Figure 3. It can be
seen here that the first formed-on portion 10.2
constitutes the first collar 10.3. The first
collar
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10.3 in this case surrounds a first free space 10.4 in
the plug-in side 10.1 of the connector part 10. The
first free space 10.4 serves to accommodate the first
contact element 11 and the insert 30.
Such an insert 30 is represented in separated foLm in
Figure 4. The
insert 30 consists substantially of a
multiplicity of - here seven - third foLmed-on portions
30.2. The third
formed-on portions 30.2 are disposed
around an opening 30.1. The opening
30.1 serves
subsequently to lead through the first contact element
11.
The third formed-on portions 30.2 are formed onto a
base of the insert 30. The base
serves at the same
time for latching the insert 30 in the first free space
10.4 of the first connector part 10.
A second connector part 20 of the plug-in connector is
shown in Figure 5. The
perspective representation
provides a view of the plug-in side of the connector
part 20 that constitutes a second plug-in side 20.1.
According to the invention, the second plug-in side
20.1 consists of second foLuted-on portions 20.2 The
latter extend in the plug-in direction.
The second formed-on portions 20.2 are disposed such
that they constitute a plurality of second collars
20.3. The
second collars 20.3 are disposed in the
second plug-in side 20.1 such that they surround a
plurality of - here five - second free spaces 20.4.
The second free spaces 20.4 serve, in the case of
contacting the first connector part 10 with the second
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connector part 20, to accommodate the third formed-on
portions 30.2 of the insert 30.
The middle second free space 20.4 is designed to
accommodate a second contact element 21 in the second
connector part 20. In the contacted state, the contact
region of the first contact element 11 is additionally
accommodated in the second free space 20.4.
The interaction, according to the invention, between
the first collar 10.3, the second collar 20.3 and the
third formed-on portions 30.2 is represented in Figure
6. This shows a cross section through the first plug-
in side 10.1 and the second plug-in side 20.1 of two
contacted connector parts 10, 20.
The contours of the first collar 10.3 that encompasses
all other parts, in the outer region, can be seen. The
contour of the second collar 20.3 adjoins the inside of
the first collar 10.3 in a positive-locking manner.
The free spaces 20.4 between the second collar 20.3 are
again filled, in a positive-locking manner, with the
third formed-on portions 30.2.
The contours of the formed-on portion 10.2, the second
formed-on portion 20.2 and the third formed-on portion
30.2 are represented again, in separated fo/m, in
Figures 7, 8 and 9.
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List of references
first connector part
10.1 first plug-in side
5 10.2 first formed-on portion
10.3 first collar
10.4 first free space
11 first contact element
10 11.1 contact tip
second connector part
20.1 second plug-in side
20.2 second foLmed-on portion
15 20.3 second collar
20.4 second free space
21 second contact element
20 30 insert
30.1 opening
30.2 third formed-on portion
